Norwegians move to the digital radio channels

Arnesen Vinyl Digital Radio DABVinyl is a digital radio station with growing support. Vidar Lønn Arnesen made a comeback as a presenter earlier this year, when the channel was launched. Photo: Bauer Media

Norwegians move to the digital radio channels

Norway has sixfold the number of nationwide radio channels due to the transition to DAB and digital radio. Now the growth of the new digital channels is coming.

In May, 1,174,000 Norwegians listened to digital channels daily, compared to 885,000 the previous year. In June, daily listeners increased to 1,228,000, compared to 940,000 the previous year. The growth is therefore 32.6 per cent and 30.6 per cent respectively.

This listening comes on top of the listening to P4, Radio Norge and NRK stations P1, P2 and P3.

– These are very good numbers. The main purpose of the radio shift is to give the audience a larger offer. When the new nationwide channels get over 30 per cent more listeners, it entails that the radio industry find the listeners with the new content, says Managing Director of Digital Radio Norway, Ole Jørgen Torvmark.

The listening is mapped out through Kantar TNS’ official radio poll in the weeks 18-25.

Relevant in the future as well

The switch to digital radio will ensure that radio remains a relevant medium for the public, ensuring that radio remains strong in the digital age.

– Digitalization of radio is a willed process that has taken place over several years. Increasing support of the new offer indicates that the industry is in the process of succeeding in the conversion; which is the biggest in Norwegian radio ever, says Torvmark.

– We are humble towards the efforts the listeners have to make in this changeover, and will assist those who need help with the transition, he concludes.

78 per cent of the population has either one or more DAB radios, according to the Digital Radio Surveys survey from May (week 19). The survey shows that there are just over 1 million cars with DAB in Norway and that one half of all car owners who listen to the radio daily have DAB in the car already.

Digital radio survey

78 per cent of households possess one or more DAB radios

There are a total of DAB radios 4,133,000 in the country. This has increased by a million times before the shutdown began.

38 per cent of households have installed DAB in the car

This corresponds to more than 1 million cars. About half of the car owners who listen to the radio daily have DAB in the car.

This is the FM Shutdown

  • By 2017, nationwide FM broadcasts will be shutdown region by region. The shutdown began in Nordland on January 11 and ends in Troms and Finnmark on December 13.
  • Commercial local radios in Oslo, Trondheim, Bergen and Stavanger shutdown FM broadcasts at the same time as nationwide commercial channels.
  • Local radio continues to send on FM in the rest of Norway.

This is digital radio

  • Digital radio is radio broadcast over DAB, network, mobile or televisions.
  • Norway has 30 nationwide channels on DAB.
  • The DAB channels are transmitted on two networks with different coverage. NRK radio network covers 99.7 percent of the population while commercial radio covers 92.8 percent.
  • FM radios can be used in the future with a help of an adapter. Adapters are available for both car and home radios.
  • Norway is one of more than 40 countries using DAB.
  • Norway is the only country to shutdown FM

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